10 Genius Ways to Use an Ice Cube Tray

Did you know that those tiny slots in your ice cube tray are perfect for preserving leftover ingredients that are too small to be kept around in the fridge? We've listed 10 genius ways to use your ice cube trays from here on out.

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Frozen Coffee Cubes

Love iced coffee? You're not alone. There's nothing better than an iced coffee to cool down (and caffeinate) on a sweltering day. But it's no fun when that that delicious chilled cup turns into a watering mess. So whenever you have coffee left over in the pot, just add to the ice cube trays and freeze. Pop in two or three cubes per cup for a non-diluted morning jolt.

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Detox Water

Imagine how beautiful your detox water will look this summer when you add herbal ice cubes to them! You can also add them to cocktails: a great trick for summer parties to impress your guests.

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Mini Cheesecake Bites

Now, make delicious chocolate dipped cheesecake bites in your ice cube trays. All you need to do is brush a pre-chilled, ice cube tray with oil and then pour chocolate into each ice cube mold (using a spoon). Pick up the tray and tilt it slightly to make sure all the angles are coated with chocolate. Then add the cheesecake filling, and top it off with a layer of chocolate. Pop it in the freezer for 2-3 hours and voila! It's really simple and great for portion control. You can even use a silicone or plastic ice tray while making your regular cheesecake recipe. If you're making it for your loved one, use a heart-shaped tray for added effect.

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Soup Stock

Homemade soup stock is a truly wonderful staple to keep on hand. But if you're not using the entire batch immediately, freeze it in ice cube trays and only thaw what you need. There are a lot of recipes that call for a small amount of stock, especially if you're making a sauce or reheating leftovers. And the best part? The frozen cubes defrost much faster than stock stored and frozen in large containers.

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Sugar Scrub Cubes

If you usually exfoliate with a sugar scrub, you're going to love this. You can use old ice trays to form perfectly shaped sugar scrub cubes and avoid the mess. Store in a mason jar or any other glass container, and just grab 1 cube each time you want to scrub. These make for great gifts as well!

Image Credits: www.lifeasmama.com

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Preserve Fresh Herbs

Keep fresh herbs on hand for all your favourite recipes by adding them to olive oil and freezing it. Pack the ice cube trays with 2/3 herbs and 1/3 olive oil to protect the herbs from freezer burn. Herbs such as oregano, sage, thyme and rosemary work best.

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Smoothie On-The-Go, Please!

Rushing out the door in the morning? Throw a few frozen smoothie ice cubes into a to-go cup and they'll be defrosted (but still chilly!) by the time you reach work.

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Freeze Berries

If you enjoy fresh berries but don't like freezing them because they all clump together, avoid the problem by freezing them in ice cube trays. You simply add the strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc. to the slots in the ice cube trays and then fill the compartment with water. The water helps to protect the berries from freezer burn. These are great for when you want only a few berries to flavour water, or other drinks or dishes.

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Wine o' Clock!

Got leftover red wine or white wine? Pour it into the ice cube slots in the tray and freeze it. Once frozen, you can use it in sangria later, or for dishes that call for cooking with a splash of wine.

Image Credits:http://blog.pontewinery.com/

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Mini Popsicles

Ice cube trays are the perfect size for mini popsicles. There are a number of things that you can freeze in them and then simply insert toothpicks into each slot so that you have a stick for your popsicle. It's a great way to avoid sugars that are often contained in store bought popsicles. You can use fresh fruits instead.